Combined latch and lock.



tinirnn s'ra'rns PATENT orrrcn VON W. HOOVER AND ONAL D. HOOVER, OF MARKLE, INDIANA.

COMBINED LATCH AND LOCK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 4, 1919.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, VON W. HOOVER and ONAL D. HOOVER, citizens of the United States, residing at Markle, in the county of Huntington and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Combined Latches and Locks, of which the following is a specification.

The present invention has reference generally to improvements in that class of inventions known as locks and latches and more particularly relates to a combination latch and lock.

It is the principal aim and object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein the latching means is of a hasp-type while the key operable locking mechanism is so designed as to be capable of being held in an inactive position so that the device may be used solely as a latch or as a latch and lock combined as desired.

More particularly the present invention contemplates the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the casing is composed of a main plate and a stationary shell while the movable shell which supports the latching means is slidably mounted in the casing and has acting in conjunction therewith resilient means for normally holding the movable shell in such position that the latching means is always active, the casing being desirably swingably mounted so as to be engaged with the staples with which the latching members coact, the component parts enumerated being of novel constructionand so related that it is necessary to slide the movable shell inwardly against the tension of the resilient means and simultaneously exert an outward pull so as to swing the casing for the arranging of the latches in an open position.

As an additional object, this invention consists in the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the looking mechanism is of novel construction embodying a manually operable spring pressed and secondary locking pawl for holding the lock bolt in either an active locked position or an inactive unlocked position, it being necessary to first actuate the pawl before the locking bolts can be moved into an inactive or unlocked position through the instrumentality of the key while in addition the parts are so constructed and related that the pawl is capable of holding the bolts in an inactive unlocked position during the relative sliding movement of the movable shell necessary for the opening of the latch when the device is used solely in this capacity.

It is a more specific object of this invention to provide a device of the above mentioned character wherein the plates and shells are of improved construction so related that they are capable of being readily assembled and replaced in the event that any of the parts become broken.

Among the other aims and objects of this invention may be recited the provision of a device of the above mentioned character wherein the number of parts are comparativelyfew, the construction simple, the cost of production low and the efliciency high.

The improvements in the details and arrangements of parts will be apparent from an inspection of the accompanying drawings in connection with the specific description hereinafter contained and wherein the preferred embodiment of the invention is disclosed for the purpose of imparting a full understanding of the invention.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure l is a top plan view showing the device applied,

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal horizontal sectional view of the device partly in elevation,

Fig. 3 is a vertical longitudinal central sectional view of the device, partly in elevation,

Fig. 4: is a transverse section line 4-4: of Fig. 8,

Fig. 5 is a transverse section taken on line 55 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional detail of the locking mechanism,

Fig. 7 is a detail of the key for actuating the locking mechanism, and

Fig. 8 is a perspective detail of one of the hasps or bolts, forming a part of the latching means.-

Similar characters of reference are employed in all of the above described views, to indicate corresponding parts.

Referring now, more particularly, to the accompanying drawings, there is illustrated a stationary member 1 relative with which member 2 is movable, spaced brackets 8 being secured to the member 1. while swingably mounted between the brackets by means of a pintle 4 is a combined lock and latch casing taken on generally designated by the numeral 5 which is capable of being swung to lie against the movable member 2 and over the pintle staples 6, the rectangular bases 7 of which are secured rigidly to the front face of the movable member 2 for a purpose which will appear.

In the present instance, the casing may be said to consist of a main plate 8 relatively fiat and of a rectangular configuration, one end terminating in a transversely disposed sleeve 9 which is engaged by the pintle 1 while the main portion is provided with spaced transverse slots 10 which permits of the passage of the staple 6 through the main plate while the outer faces of the main plate about the slots are in turn provided with countersinks 11 to accommodate the bases 7 of the staple 6, as is apparent. A semi-cylindrical shell 12 forms a part of the casing 5 and has the marginal edges formed with flanges 13 the outer portions 1 1 of which are oifset and disposed against the adjacent side portions of the plate 8 and secured thereto as by rivets 15 in such a manner that the closed end 16 of the shell 12 alines with one end of the plate 8 while the opposite end is open and terminates short of the sleeve 9.

lVith a view toward providing the improved latching means for coacting with the staple 6, a semi-cylindrical shell 17 is employed and is slidably arranged in the cas-' ing, the curved wall being arranged in proximity to the curved Wall of the shell 12 while the straight side edges at the open portion abut and slide'on the adjacent or inner face of the plate 8. Flanges 18 extend laterally from opposite portions of the casing near the straight edges and are formed with longitudinal slots 19, the flanges being accommodated between the plate 8 and the inner portions of the flanges 13 of the shell 12 while headed fasteners 20 are passed through the slots 19 and anchored in the plate 8 serving to coact with the slots 19 in guiding and sliding movement of they shell 17 of the casing. In this connection it is to be observed that at both ends of this casing 17 are walls while arranged between the inner closed end and the closed end of the shell 12 is a coiled expansion spring 21 tensioned to normally hold the outer closed end wall 22 in alinement with the adjacent open end of the shell 12 and in proximity to the sleeve 9 as indicated in the drawings. l/Vhen in this position the inner ends of the slots 19 contact with the pins 20 in limiting the outward movement of the shell 17. The shell 17 is also provided with a transverse partition 23 which is formed with a small opening 24 arranged in alinement with a similarly shaped opening 25 in the inner end wall of the casing 17. Bearing brackets 26 are rigidly connected through the instrumentality of suitable fastening devices 27 forwardly of the inner end ber 1. Suitable means such as coiled expansion springs 30 are arranged about the bolts 28 and bearagainst the adjacent closed end and the partition 23 while the opposite ends bear against bearing collars 31 carried by the bolts and these collars are held in yielding and contacting engagement with the bearing brackets 26 while the heads are positioned in such positions that when the casing is swung and the staples are arranged within the casing, the beveled edges of the heads 29 will strike the medial portions of the keeper sta ples and move inwardly against the tension of the spring 30 until the heads are in a plane within the medial portions of the keeper staples whereupon they will innnediately move outwardly under the tension of the spring 30 into engaged positions with the keeper staples as shown in the drawings. In disengaging the engaging heads 29- from the staples, the end wall 22 of the inner shell is pushed inwardly against the tension of the spring 21 while almost simultaneously with this inward pushing movement a lateral pull is exerted on the adjacent end portion of the outer shell so as to move the casing out of engagement with the keeper staples, as is apparent. 7

As intimated, improved locking mechanism has been employed for eoacting with the latching means in such a manner that the device may be used as a combined latch and lock or solely as a latch, as desired. In

reducing this feature of the invention to practice, there is provided a casing or body 32 on which is detachably mounted a cover plate 33 while the body is formed with a central longitudinally and inwardly extending bore 34 the inner portion of which is enlarged as at 35 and the body is further provided with a key passageway 36 to one side of the outer end of the bore, the inner portion of the passage way communicating with the enlarged portion of the bore while the extreme inner end of the passage way is formed with a socket 37 for a purpose which will presently appear. A locking bolt 88 is now employed and is slidably mounted in the enlarged portion of the borewhile the forward end of the bolt is restricted and forms a shoulder 39 and a locking head 40 designed to be arranged in engagement w th openings 41 in the shells 12 and 17 whi openings aline with each other. when the latching mechanism is in an engaged position. Suitable resilient means such as a coiled spring 42 is mounted within the enlarged portion 35 of the bore and tensioned against the bolt 38 to normally hold the head in a forward extended position. In addition, one side of the bolt 38 is formed with spaced notches 43 and 44 with which coacts a locking pawl 45 slida'bly mounted in a lateral passage way in the body and normally held forwardly so as to engage one of the notches 43 or 44 by a leaf spring 46 which is also mounted in a recess 47 in the body. The purpose of this pawl is to releasably hold the locking bolt in an active locking position or in an inactive unlocked position. In operating the pawl, a bell crank lever 48 is swingably mounted exteriorly of the body while a link 49 is operably connected between one portion of the bell crank lever and the inner end of the pawl. An actuating rod 50 has its inner end operably connected to the opposite portion of the bell crank lever and is disposed through a slot 51 in the slidable shell 17 and through an opening 52 in the outer stationary shell 12, the slot at all times registering with the opening while the exteriorly disposed portion of the actuating rod is formed with a knob 53 which facilitates the actuation of the pawl. In order to actuate or retract the bolt 38 subsequent to the removal of the pawl 45 from engagement therewith, a key 54 is employed, the stem 55 thereof being formed with a spiral cam 56 and this stem is insertible through registering openings 57 in the shells 12 and 17 and into the passage way 36, the extreme free ends of the stem being seated in the socket 37 while the inner portion of the cam is designed to engage a beveled lug 58 which is integral with and projects laterally from the bolt 38, the engagement being such that when the key 54 is rotated, the lug 58 will ride upon the spiral face of the cam 56 to retract the bolt against the tension of the spring42 removing the head 40 from engagement with the opening 41 and alining the recess 44 with the passage way in which the pawl is mounted so that when the pawl is released, the same will engage the recess 44 and positively hold the bolt in a retracted position. Subsequently, the key may be removed so thatthe latch may be operated. It is noted in this connection that the slot 51 permits the sliding movement of the inner movable shell relative to the actuating rod 50 for the pawl.

The mode of operation of the present invention may be reviewed as follows:

Assuming that the parts have been assembled in the manner described and as indicated in the drawings, especially in Fig. 2 wherein the device is shown in a latched and locked position, to permit of the swinging of the casing 5 and as a result allow for the movement of the movable member 2 relative to the stationary member 1, the knob 46 forcing thesaid pawl into engagement 7 with the notch 44 which has by the operation of the key, been arranged in alinement with the pawl. In this manner the bolt is held in an inactive position. Theouter end wall 22 of the shell 17 is now engaged and the shell moved inwardly against the tension of the spring 21, this action moving the bolts 28 which are carried with the inner shell so that the heads 29 thereof are arranged from beneath or out of engagement with the keeper staples. Simultaneously with the inward sliding movement of the shell outward or lateral pull is exerted on the shell so' as to move the casing 5 including the shell 12 and the plate 8 to disengage the slot 10 from the keeper staples and in this manner placing the device in an open position, it being understood that the sliding movement of the inner movable shell is permitted by reason of the provision of the slot 51 in such shell. It is also to be'understood that as soon as the finger engaging flange 22 is released, the springs 21 act to extend or place the shell 17 in its first position so that in the event it is desired to again arrange the device in a latched position it is only necessary to swing the casing so that the slots will engage over the keeper staples 6, the latter engaging the beveled edges of the heads 29 to force such heads rearwardly against the tension of the spring 30 until the medial portions of the keeper staples have passed beyond the path of movement of the heads and until the plate 8 strikes the member 2 at which time the springs 30 will act to automatically extend the bolts so that the heads 29 will engage beneath the medial portion of the keeper staples to releasably maintain the device in a. latched position. Of course if desired to lock the parts, it is only necessary to exert a pull on the knob 53 to release the pawl and the head 40 of the bolt willbe auto- 'matically engaged with the alining openings 41 under tension of the springs 42.

It is believed in view of the foregoing description that a further detailed description of the operation of this invention is entirely unnecessary. Likewise, it is believed that the advantages of the invention will be readily apparent.

As many changes could be made in the above construction and as many widely different embodiments of this-invention could be made without departing from the scope thereof, it is intended that allmatter con,- tained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall beinterpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting features of the invention herein described and all statements, of the scope of the invention, which, as a matter of language, might be said to fall therebetween.

Having thus fully described the invention what is claimed as new and desired-tobe secured by Letters Patent, is V 1. A device of the character described in cluding in combination with keepers, a swingably mounted casing designed to be removably arranged over said keepers, a manually operable element slidably and resiliently mounted in the casing, latch bars resiliently mounted in said element and normally positioned to engage the keepers.

2. A device of the character described including in combination with keepers, a swingably mounted casing designed to be removably arran ed over the keepers, a manually operab e element slidably and resiliently mounted in the casing, latch bars resiliently mounted in said element and normally positioned to engage the keepers, and means for'releasably locking said. slid-able element against movement.

3. A device of the character described including in combination with keepers, a swingably mounted casing designed to be removably arranged over said keepers, a-

manually operable element slidably and resiliently mounted in the casing, latch bars resiliently mounted in said element and normally positioned to engage the keepers, looking mechanism carried by the casing including a key operably resiliently mounted bolt,

resilient means for yieldingly holding thebolt in a locked position and. a manually operable spring pressed locking pawl for releasably holding the bolt in either a locked or unlocked position.

4. A device of the character described in combination with keeper staples, a swingably mounted casing including relatively flat plate and stationary semi-cylindrical shell, the plate being provided with slots adapted to be arranged over the keeper staples when the casingis swung to an engaged or locked position, another semi-cy- "lindrical shell is slidably mounted in the casing, resilient means for normally holdthe casing,

pawl into an unlocked resiliently mounted in said movable shell and normally positioned to engage :the

keeper staples.

A device of the character described incombination with vkeeperv staples, a. swingably mounted casing including'a relativelyfiat plate and stationary semi-cylindrical,

shell, the plate oeing provided with slots adapted to be arranged over the keeper staples when the casing is swung to an engaged or locked position, another semi-cylindrical shell is slidably mounted in the casing, resilient means for normally holding said shell sliglhtly beyond the open end of atching bolts slidably and resiliently mounted in said movable shelland normally positioned to engage the keeper staples, and means for releasably locking the shells together.

6. In a device of the character described the combination with keeper staples, a swingajbly mounted casing designed to be movably arranged over the keepers, a manually operable element slidably and resiliently mounted in the casing, latch means carried in the elenient'and positioned to normally engage the locking mechanism including a lock body carried'on the .casing and provided. with a bore and a passage way communicating with said bore, the casing and the element being provided with registering openings and also provided. with registrable key holes alining with thepassage way further provided with another pair of alining openings, a locking bolt resiliently mounted in the bore and engagable with the first mentioned openings and formed with a lug further provided with spaced notched, a spring pressed pawl in the body and de-; signed for engagement with either of the notches, an actuator rod arranged through thelast mentioned openings and 'operatively connected with the pawl anda key insertible through the alining key hole and formed with a file engaging cam for co-acting with the lugs on the lock bolts during the turning of the key and subsequent to the release of the pawl from the bolts for moving the position to permit of the sliding of the elements and the simultaneous pulling of the casing for the disengagement of the latching means from V the keepers.

In testimony whereof, we aflix our signa- 'tures hereto.

VON w. Hooves. ONAL n. HOOVER.

Copies of this patentmay be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents,

' Washington, D. 0. 

